Coldplay declares they've surpassed emission goals for global tour.
In 2019, Coldplay's leader Chris Martin revealed the band would postpone touring to ponder how to make their shows more eco-friendly.
In 2021, Coldplay declared their Music of the Spheres tour, vowing to reduce emissions generated by show production, freight, and band and crew travel by half.
A significant portion of this achievement can be attributed to audience involvement, which saw fans generating electricity by bouncing on dynamic dance floors and spinning on customized bicycles. The band also promised to plant a tree for every single concert ticket.
Since the tour began, the band has produced 59% less CO2 emissions compared to their previous stadium tour in 2016-17. This information was confirmed by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative.
In a statement on Coldplay's website, John E. Fernandez, director of the MIT initiative, praised the band's determination to "continue to take positive and meaningful actions." He added that they were "setting a new standard for the entire music industry."
Coldplay expressed gratitude to "everyone who's come to a show and helped charge the show batteries on the power bikes and kinetic dance floors; everyone who's arrived by foot, bike, ride share or public transport; everyone who's come with refillable water bottles or returned their LED wristband for recycling; and everyone who's bought a ticket, which means you've planted one of 7 million trees so far."
The enormous stadium tour began in Costa Rica in March 2022 and will continue until later this year, with shows in locations as distant as Finland, Greece, Australia, and New Zealand.
The band divulged further data on their efforts, stating that 7 million trees have been planted, 18 shows in 2023 were entirely energized by a system using recycled BMW i3 batteries, and 72% of all waste generated on their tour was recycled.
Still, the band acknowledged there is more work to be done, saying: "As a band and as an industry, we're a long way from where we need to be on this. But we're grateful for everyone's help so far, and we salute everyone who's making efforts to push things in the right direction."
In an interview with CNN's Becky Anderson in 2022, Martin explained, "It's not just a charitable cause. We're attempting to demonstrate that capitalism can be a bit more compassionate and eco-conscious."
Green touring has existed for many years, with artists like Neil Young and Bonnie Raitt leading the way. However, as the effects of climate change escalate, the music industry is now mainstreaming this approach. Artists such as Billie Eilish and Maroon 5 have also begun implementing more eco-friendly practices.
Paraphrase by: Jim Ross
Read also:
TheMusic of the Spheres tour by Coldplay is not just about entertainment, but also about making a positive impact on the environment. The band's determination to reduce emissions and promote eco-friendly practices has earned them praise from environmental experts and set a new standard for the music industry.
